In summer I tend to suffer more from peds, and in winter from drivers, with their four wheels securely gripping the wet roads, not caring that every badly placed manhole cover is a frictionless plate waiting to whip the bike from underneath you and throw the rider under the tailgating barstewards wheels. If that doesn't get you, cars taking no account of crosswinds, rain, snow and ice all make winter riding the most dangerous IMO.

On my commute - I have to say that this bout of wet weather coupled with the dark evenings has kept *most* of the idiot(no lead on dog) dog walkers and Swiss Family Gormless (families who walk four abreast taking up the entire width of the path) off the two bike paths I ride. Result!

I did manage to scare the living chocolate out of one jogger who was trotting towards me but looking at her friend a few nights ago at a junction on the cyclepath. She turned just in time to see me bearing down on her at 20mph when I was about 12 feet away. To her, it would have looked like I was heading straight for her, but she was perfectly safe, on the other side of the path in the pedestrian zone. She squealed and performed that whole body flinch that makes you jump in the air as I advised her in a level tone "Look where you're going dear". Her friend sounded like she was going to wet herself laughing. Priceless.

Funny how all the pedestrians learn which side of the path is theirs when it's pitch black and all the nasty cyclists have a 10mph tailwind.

Now.
Dark and wet weather brings out the very worst in bad drivers. There also seem to be dark-clad pedestrians lurking in the shadows waiting for a bike to come along so that they can step out in front of it.

Most dangerous time is rain/dusk when there is enough light about to make highvis/bike lights less noticable but not enough to be clearly seen. The rain which effects your perceptions/reactions too doesn't help much either.

Summer brings out the prats in cars shouting obsenities while leaning out of car windows, Winter brings the dickheads who think its cool to tailgate you, drive past you at speed, honk their horns ....to be honest there is no 'safe' season variations on stupidity.

'bentMikey - you'll need tastier bait than that to get me to rise.......

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I wasn't trolling actually, I was being completely serious. I'm shocked by many impatient and angry cyclists who take terrible risks with pedestrians, when the cyclists are utterly in the wrong and should be taking care and slowing down. I don't know whether your riding is anything like what I've witnessed regularly, as I'm only going from your own writings, but it sure doesn't sound good.

Sorry Mikey but I don't take risks with peds.They take risks with me including running in front of me...crossing in poor places.Not thinking when they cross whether it's safe or not in case things go tit's up.(Then they end up doing a dash at the last moment when they realise they are in danger)Not using ped crossings.Not using traffic lights or almost always crossing on a green.When they do cross on a green especially in a group they tend to not bother checking after.